Challenge Definition

chălənj
challenged, challenges, challenging
noun
challenges
A demand for identification.
A sentry gave the challenge.
Webster's New World
A call or dare to take part in a duel, contest, etc.
Webster's New World
An act or statement of defiance; a call to confrontation.
A challenge to the government's authority.
American Heritage
A calling into question; a demanding of proof, explanation, etc.
A challenge of the premises of an argument.
Webster's New World
A sentry's call to an unknown party for proper identification.
American Heritage
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
verb
challenged, challenges, challenging
To invite with defiance; dare.
Challenged him to contradict her.
American Heritage
To call or dare to take part in a duel, contest, etc.; defy.
Webster's New World
To confront or struggle with (something) as a test of one's abilities.
Rafters challenging the rapids.
American Heritage
To call to a halt for identification.
Webster's New World
To make objection to; call into question.
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Challenge

Noun

Singular:
challenge
Plural:
challenges

Origin of Challenge

  • From Middle English chalenge, assilibated variant of Middle English calenge, calange (“an accusation, claim”), from Old French chalenge, chalonge, assilibated forms of Old French calenge, calonge, from Latin calumnia (“a false accusation, calumny”), from Proto-Indo-European *kēl-, *ḱēl- (“invocation; to beguile, feign, charm, cajole, deceive”). Cognate with Old English hōl (“calumny”).

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English chalenge from Old French from Latin calumnia trickery, false accusation calumny V., Middle English chalengen from Old French chalangier from Latin calumniārī from calumnia

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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